Search Modal

ESPN Fantasy Baseball ADP Mock Draft

Understanding when to draft certain positions is the key to a great fantasy baseball draft. This mock draft is based on ESPN Average Draft Position, creates a 10 team league and requires each team draft the following roster:

Round 1

Edwin Encarnacion jumps into the 1st round on ESPN while he was a 2nd rounder in the CBS Mock Draft and the Yahoo Mock Draft. It's clear that the end of the first round will differ in every league based upon league settings.

Round 2

Just 3 teams were without an OF by the end of the second round. One of those rosters is owned by Team 8 who went with Cano/HanRam and filled two of the weakest positions with the best players. That is an interesting strategy and if HanRam stays healthy could work in their favor. But still, not a strategy I would ever suggest. Another interesting combo we see here is two teammates being drafted by Team 7 in CarGo/Tulo. Considering both are HUGE health risks, this is the last teammate combo I would "reach" for.

Round 3

5 pitchers were drafted in the 3rd round, which seems to be around the norm and it seems Wainwright seems to start that movement, so if you are targeting the Cardinals pitcher, the 3rd round is where you will have to grab him. It is so crazy to think Carlos Gomez is a third round draft pick. When the New York Mets traded him to the Minnesota Twins for Johan Santana all those years ago, no one saw this coming. Good for him.

Round 4

Freddie Freeman in the 4th round seems to be such a great value, especially as the 6th first baseman drafted. 7th if you draft Miggy as a 1B.

Round 5

Team 6 has already filled up its pitching staff, three teams now have 2 starting pitchers, while two rosters have none. I want to be one of those four rosters with just a single starter. Team 1 is the first team to fill up their OF. Team 8 doesn't even have an OF yet, but they have a closer! HUGE mistake! Not a single 3B was drafted in the 4th or 5th round, seems odd.

Rounds 6-9

It's clear, people love them a 1B. It is the first position to draft all of its starters. Make sure you get the one you want early on! ESPN owners seems to have a nice handle on Joe Mauer as he has still yet to be drafted. In the CBS draft, he went in Round 4 and in the sixth round of the Yahoo ADP Mock Draft. This was the first round there were no Starters drafted. Teams 3 and 7 filled their 3rd and final OF spots while Team 8 and Team 10 grabbed their first! Matt Kemp, drafted 70th overall?! Damn, imagine a healthy season out of that! He was a 3rd rounder in the CBS draft and in the middle of the 7th round on Yahoo. Following Starling Marte's plummeting draft value, the 8th round is where he belongs, not the 4th round on CBS. But if your top OFs are Kemp/Marte you MIGHT be in trouble. Look at the quality of pitchers you can grab in the 9th round; Shields, Gio, Weaver, Latos, Zimmermann!

Rounds 10-12

By the end of the 10th round, all teams have a 3B. Waiting for Seager/Ramirez/Alvarez (and still available Manny Machado) is a good strategy for this position. am 3 is a great example of why you should hold off on pitching, he got Gio/Iwakuma/Fister in rounds 10, 11 & 12.